The CSIR is making strategic investments in key infrastructure to reduce Africa’s dependence on imported therapeutics and health products. This initiative follows the challenges highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which exposed the continent’s heavy reliance on external medical supplies.

Dr Rachel Chikwamba, CSIR Group Executive for Advanced Chemistry and Life Sciences, emphasised the importance of pandemic preparedness. “Pandemic preparedness and response involve improving global access to medical interventions, building more agile and resilient local health systems, and anticipating potential barriers to equitable access.”

“Our intent is to be proactive in pandemic preparedness through innovative medical countermeasures accessible to African populations and beyond at a fraction of the cost. Beyond pandemic preparedness, the import of high-value biological medicines to treat growing chronic diseases, like diabetes, cancer and heart disease, contributes significantly to the negative balance of payments, with pharmaceuticals being the fifth-largest contributor to the deficit. The FuturePharma infrastructure will go a long way in contributing to local production of clinical grade,” she said.

CSIR Chief Executive Officer, Dr Thulani Dlamini, recently conducted a progress walkabout of the FuturePharma and supercritical carbon dioxide encapsulation (sc-CO₂) . These state-of-the-art facilities are crucial steps towards enhancing local manufacturing capabilities for health products and ensuring readiness to tackle future pandemics.

The FuturePharma facility is designed to manufacture small-molecule and biologic active pharmaceutical ingredients using cutting-edge pharmacological technology. It offers an adaptable space for hybrid batch-flow process development and is compliant with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). This facility will also support process engineering, digital integration and small and medium enterprise development in the pharmaceutical sector.

The sc-CO₂ encapsulation facility focuses on precision in dosage form manufacturing, ensuring consistency, quality and enhanced bioavailability of pharmaceutical products.

“This facility is a key step in ensuring that locally manufactured health products meet international standards while remaining accessible to African populations,” Dr Chikwamba added.

Upon completion, both facilities will undergo rigorous regulatory assessments to ensure compliance with the relevant regulatory requirements, notably cGMP standards and the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) requirements for pharmaceutical products. These evaluations will guarantee that the facilities meet stringent global regulatory expectations, enabling them to produce high-quality pharmaceutical products for both local and international markets.

With these investments, the CSIR envisions supporting a robust African pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, ensuring that essential and advanced medications are readily available. By the end of the 2025/2026 financial year, the realisation of these facilities is expected to transform the landscape of healthcare manufacturing on the continent, reducing reliance on imports and positioning Africa as a leader in pharmaceutical innovation.

Through these efforts, the CSIR is not only preparing for future pandemics but also laying the foundation for a sustainable and self-reliant pharmaceutical supply system in Africa. The CEO noted that “Such infrastructure investments are in keeping with the organisation’s strategy to support industrial development and enhance commercialisation of products, in this case, those that require high-quality standards for regulatory approval.” He expressed hope that we will soon start to see a return on these investments.